Tuesday, May 17, 2005
The plan for Iran
Given how well the plan for Iraq has gone, the same numbskulls are pushing a plan for Iran. Here is the political component.
Jax
In an interview two months ago with Raw Story, former weapons inspector
Scott Ritter raged against the neocons as godless parasites whose only
gift is for destruction. He argued that the mission of Bush
appointees--Rice at the State Department, Paul Wolfowitz at the World Bank--is to
undermine and subvert the very institutions they run to render them
ineffectual and incapable of resistance. And Bolton as the U.S.'s UN
representative? Same deal. "A high level source, a NeoCon at that, within
the system has said to me directly that John Bolton's job is to destroy
the UN..."
Sounds a bit overheated, but the invaluable Steve Clemons who has waged
a noble campaign against Bolton at The Washingon Note has come to the
same stark conclusion:
"Now that we know that Frank Gaffney, David Frum, Gary Bauer, and
others at ConfirmBolton.com are worried about North Korea and Iran -- what
is their strategy -- other than sending Bolton to the U.N.?
"The fact is that they have no strategy -- that is apparent to TWN yet
-- on how to credibly confront and/or preempt the further creep of
North Korea's and Iran's nuclear pretensions.
"Their goal is to focus on blowing up the United Nations by using North
Korea and Iran confrontations that run the risk of yet again dividing
the U.S. and Europe.
"Their goal is not to look at the combination of policy initiatives,
including efforts at the U.N., to deal with the substantive threats posed
by North Korea and Iran.
"It's all about kicking apart the United Nations, reformed or not."
And what will that achieve, aside from satisfying the neocon lust for
wreckage? At antiwar.com Jude Wanniski provides the answer:
"My reliable sources tell me it is because there is a timetable that
makes it urgent for Bolton to be ready for action in June in order to
cripple the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) as part of the plan to
bomb the Iranian nuclear power plant at Bushehr. That's because Bushehr,
under construction with Russian supervision, will soon be ready to
receive the Russian fissionable material enabling it to produce power...
"On a recent, quite incredible Fox News special, Lt. Gen. Thomas
McInerney said we are already moving aircraft carriers into positions from
which we could strike. He was then asked: 'If you had to put a percentage
on it, the chances that the U.S. will eventually have to take military
actions against Iran, what would you put it at?' to which McInerney
replied casually: 'Well, I would put 1 percent of using ground forces,
boots on the ground in Iran, I would put up 50 percent on a blockade, and
I would put up 50 to 60 percent on precision air strikes on their
nuclear development sites.' He also observed casually that Iran wouldn't
dare take on the United States. Perhaps the 60 million Iranians would
greet our bombers with garlands and sweets. Do you see what I mean? Fox
News, as you may know, is commonly known as 'The War Channel,' for similar
work it did in promoting the war against Iraq.
"Is Iran this kind of threat to anyone? As far as I can tell, ladies
and gentlemen..., the answer is 'absolutely not,' at least as long as
they remain members in good standing of the NPT, which means they will
permit the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to inspect
intrusively and constantly, as they have been doing. It has been the mission of
John Bolton and his underling Stephen Rademaker to 'reform' the United
Nations in a way that dissolves the NPT and the need for the IAEA, not
only to pave the way for the bombing of Bushehr, but also to get out
from under the NPT provisions that require all the nuclear weapon powers
to make progress toward making the world a nuclear-free zone...
"For good measure, I'd hope those of you who are reading this memo to
the GOP senators and are among their constituents would urge them to
take a second look before they send Bolton to the United Nations. His
mission is not to clean up the so-called 'Oil-for-Food Scandal' or promote
UNICEF gift cards. It is to bomb the nuclear facilities in Iran after
undermining the work of IAEA and the need for the NPT."
Right on cue, the National Review editorializes that "Diplomacy's Over"
when it comes to Iran. Now is the time for action. "Congress is
considering legislation that would tighten existing U.S. sanctions, prevent
U.S. subsidiaries from doing business in Iran, and reduce aid to
countries whose businesses invest there. The threat of precision military
strikes also remains on the table, as it should; the Pentagon recently
announced that it plans to sell Israel 100 'bunker-buster' bombs, which can
attack underground facilities such as those reportedly used by Iran.
And of course there is Iran’s pro-democratic population, which may be the
United States’ greatest weapon against the mullahs."
Until the neocons fuck this up as badly as they did Iraq, and the
Iranians turn against us too. (Link)
Jax
In an interview two months ago with Raw Story, former weapons inspector
Scott Ritter raged against the neocons as godless parasites whose only
gift is for destruction. He argued that the mission of Bush
appointees--Rice at the State Department, Paul Wolfowitz at the World Bank--is to
undermine and subvert the very institutions they run to render them
ineffectual and incapable of resistance. And Bolton as the U.S.'s UN
representative? Same deal. "A high level source, a NeoCon at that, within
the system has said to me directly that John Bolton's job is to destroy
the UN..."
Sounds a bit overheated, but the invaluable Steve Clemons who has waged
a noble campaign against Bolton at The Washingon Note has come to the
same stark conclusion:
"Now that we know that Frank Gaffney, David Frum, Gary Bauer, and
others at ConfirmBolton.com are worried about North Korea and Iran -- what
is their strategy -- other than sending Bolton to the U.N.?
"The fact is that they have no strategy -- that is apparent to TWN yet
-- on how to credibly confront and/or preempt the further creep of
North Korea's and Iran's nuclear pretensions.
"Their goal is to focus on blowing up the United Nations by using North
Korea and Iran confrontations that run the risk of yet again dividing
the U.S. and Europe.
"Their goal is not to look at the combination of policy initiatives,
including efforts at the U.N., to deal with the substantive threats posed
by North Korea and Iran.
"It's all about kicking apart the United Nations, reformed or not."
And what will that achieve, aside from satisfying the neocon lust for
wreckage? At antiwar.com Jude Wanniski provides the answer:
"My reliable sources tell me it is because there is a timetable that
makes it urgent for Bolton to be ready for action in June in order to
cripple the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) as part of the plan to
bomb the Iranian nuclear power plant at Bushehr. That's because Bushehr,
under construction with Russian supervision, will soon be ready to
receive the Russian fissionable material enabling it to produce power...
"On a recent, quite incredible Fox News special, Lt. Gen. Thomas
McInerney said we are already moving aircraft carriers into positions from
which we could strike. He was then asked: 'If you had to put a percentage
on it, the chances that the U.S. will eventually have to take military
actions against Iran, what would you put it at?' to which McInerney
replied casually: 'Well, I would put 1 percent of using ground forces,
boots on the ground in Iran, I would put up 50 percent on a blockade, and
I would put up 50 to 60 percent on precision air strikes on their
nuclear development sites.' He also observed casually that Iran wouldn't
dare take on the United States. Perhaps the 60 million Iranians would
greet our bombers with garlands and sweets. Do you see what I mean? Fox
News, as you may know, is commonly known as 'The War Channel,' for similar
work it did in promoting the war against Iraq.
"Is Iran this kind of threat to anyone? As far as I can tell, ladies
and gentlemen..., the answer is 'absolutely not,' at least as long as
they remain members in good standing of the NPT, which means they will
permit the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to inspect
intrusively and constantly, as they have been doing. It has been the mission of
John Bolton and his underling Stephen Rademaker to 'reform' the United
Nations in a way that dissolves the NPT and the need for the IAEA, not
only to pave the way for the bombing of Bushehr, but also to get out
from under the NPT provisions that require all the nuclear weapon powers
to make progress toward making the world a nuclear-free zone...
"For good measure, I'd hope those of you who are reading this memo to
the GOP senators and are among their constituents would urge them to
take a second look before they send Bolton to the United Nations. His
mission is not to clean up the so-called 'Oil-for-Food Scandal' or promote
UNICEF gift cards. It is to bomb the nuclear facilities in Iran after
undermining the work of IAEA and the need for the NPT."
Right on cue, the National Review editorializes that "Diplomacy's Over"
when it comes to Iran. Now is the time for action. "Congress is
considering legislation that would tighten existing U.S. sanctions, prevent
U.S. subsidiaries from doing business in Iran, and reduce aid to
countries whose businesses invest there. The threat of precision military
strikes also remains on the table, as it should; the Pentagon recently
announced that it plans to sell Israel 100 'bunker-buster' bombs, which can
attack underground facilities such as those reportedly used by Iran.
And of course there is Iran’s pro-democratic population, which may be the
United States’ greatest weapon against the mullahs."
Until the neocons fuck this up as badly as they did Iraq, and the
Iranians turn against us too. (Link)
